Today, GuitarWorld.com presents the exclusive premiere of "Juicy Lucy," a new song by Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood.
The track is from their new album, Juice, which will be released September 16 via MMW's Indirecto Records imprint. It's the quartet's third studio effort and fourth album overall.
Since first convening nearly 17 years ago, the kinship between keyboardist John Medeski, guitarist John Scofield, bassist Chris Wood and drummer Billy Martin has fostered an escalating degree of musical interplay. The band's first collaboration, 1997's A Go Go, featured John Scofield compositions exclusively, while 2006's Out Louder was an experiment in spontaneous, collective co-composition.
To give shape to what eventually became Juice, Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood sought common ground and inspiration in the intersection of improvisation and rhythms from the Afro-Latin Diaspora. More specifically, the blueprint was found in a compilation of these sounds put together by Martin and shared among the ensemble.
"We all love music from Brazil, the Caribbean, and Latin America, as well as what became boogaloo here in the States, and it has always been intertwined with jazz," Medeski says. "We got together and started exploring that connection in our own way."
"This is our version of different African-based forms," Scofield adds. "Or, at least, that's what we started with, but eventually we said, 'This is the outline, but we can do whatever the hell we want.'"
Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood also have announced several tour dates, which you can check out below. Juice is available now for pre-order HERE. For more information, check out mmw.net.
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
